


Starmora: Abhorrence Parasite

by solarsaros



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Marvel Universe, Post-Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Starmora
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 06:07:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19145083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarsaros/pseuds/solarsaros
Summary: I dreamed this so it's weird. A parasite takes over Peter Quill/Star-Lord's body. It uses hatred to try and turn Peter and Gamora against each other. It's up to the rest of the Guardians to save him. Starmora.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I dreamed this so it's weird.
> 
> It may now even really make any sense but dreams never really do, haha.
> 
> Please review if you want, they're always appreciated :)

Peter's body was dripping with sweat yet he was cold to the touch and shivering uncontrollably. This concerned Gamora to no end. He seemed to no longer be able to hold himself up, so she and Drax had to carry him back to their ship. It was as though his brain was losing control of his body, Gamora thought. His feet were reluctant to hold him up, his body felt like a ton weight rested on his shoulders, and his hands quivered as he gripped onto her and Drax.

Gamora could hear him trying to speak but it was difficult to understand what with his jaw slack and drool pouring out of his mouth. When she'd first found him in this state, he had been able to speak. He'd told her he felt like he was being eaten from the inside out, like his own thoughts were being swallowed and replaced by another's. He'd said he felt like there was something wriggling through his brain. Then he'd suddenly turned, started shouting obscenities and being vulgar.

Though now he couldn't verbalise, only able to grunt and groan. Gamora took note of how pale he was now, and how miserble he looked. It looked as though all of hid happiness was being sucked away. He'd went from laughing with his friends in a bar to vomiting down himself, crying and screaming. Gamora had thought his body was shutting down, that he was dying but now she feared something else. 

"I cannot believe this is happening," said Gamora, her voice shaky.

"We must lay him down," said Drax, and he and Gamora placed Peter gently on the bed. His body sank into the mattress, his head pressing back into the pillow as he cried out and began to convulse.

Gamora pulled the sheets from under him, laying them over him, trying to ease his movements as she did so and wiping his sweaty hair from his forehead.

"How did it happen?" she asked, turning to Drax.

"We were eating food at that ungodly establishment and he collapsed."

Gamora huffed, turning back to Peter and stroking his hair. "Why did it not happen to you?"

"We ordered different meals, and his body is weak."

Gamora rolled her eyes but didn't disagree. She had warned him, many times, that his Terran body couldn't withstand everything. Peter was a man who liked to talk himself up, act cocky, and as though he was indesctructable when he wanted to prove a point - when he wanted to prove that his body was perfectly capable of handling everything space had to offer. 

It drove Gamora crazy the amount of times he had set out to show to everyone that he was this 'big tough guy' and ended up getting sick from it. This wasn't the first time and she knew it wouldn't be the last time.

"What the hell's going on?" said Rocket from the doorway, Mantis behind him and Groot on her shoulder.

"Peter's body has been contaminated," replied Drax.

"What? With what?"

"I think it might be an Abhorrence parasite," said Gamora, her voice unusually small.

"What is that?" asked Mantis.

"A hate parasite. It plays with its hosts emotions, eating away until the only thing left is hate, hence the name," she replied, feeling sick to her stomach as she did. 

"How d'ya know that's what he's got?" asked Rocket, moving closer to look at Peter and grimacing at the froth foaming at his mouth.

Gamora continued stroking Peter's hair, not bothered by his sweat or spit. He had his eyes closed but his face still showed pain; his jaw was clenched and his nostrils flared as he struggled to breathe. She hated seeing him this way, in pain, and all she wanted to do was stop it. 

"He was saying out of character things on the journey home," said Drax, "I too believe he is harbouring a hatred worm."

Rocket's hands ran down his face in frustration, then he kicked the bed and growled, "This is all we needed!"

The raccoon stomped out of the room, the other Guardians not far behind apart from Gamora who remained seated by Peter. She sat by his head, his face nuzzled against her outer thigh as he groaned in agony and she stroked his hair.

"It's okay, Peter. We are going to make you better… I promise."

Peter continued to scream and buried his head more between her thigh and the mattress. She could feel her pants becoming wet from his tears and sweat but didn't move. She felt nauseous, sad, and, above all, scared. She didn't have wide knowledge of what the parasite could do, but she knew it wasn't good. 

Once Peter's screams had ceased and Gamora was certain he was asleep, she left the room and moved to the kitchen where the Guardians stood discussing what was wrong with him.

She paced the room, Mantis and Groot watching her with frowns, as Rocket tapped at a screen.

"I read more on it," said Rocket, "I think you're right about that parasite thing."

"What the hell are we going to do?" said Gamora, continuing to pace. Panic was starting to set in now. "There has got to be something to extract it from his body."

"There is," said Rocket, hopping from where he sat on his toolbox, "I think I know where I can find it but it's gonna take a couple days max."

"Rocket and I shall find this antidote and bring Peter comfort," said Drax.

"I shall stay and see if I can try to ease Peter's emotions," said Mantis.

"I want to stay, too."

All eyes turned to Gamora.

"You do know what this parasite does, right?" said Rocket.

"Yes."

"Y'know it's gonna hurt you."

"I can handle it."

Mantis stepped closer to Gamora, a sympathetic look on her face, "Would it not be best for you to travel with Rocket and Drax to find the antidote? This parasite will change Peter, make him say things that -"

"I am not leaving Peter," Gamora said, sharply, "He is still in there somewhere… trapped in his own body… I am not leaving him."

Rocket and Mantis exchanged a concerned look and Mantis stepped back.

"Right," sighed Rocket, "I'll get my stuff together, then we'll head off, Drax."

/

"Do not forget your transmitter," said Gamora, handing Rocket the device. Rocket took notice of how unsteady her hands were and looked up at her, sadly.

"He'll be okay."

Gamora smiled faintly, and Mantis and Groot waved goodbye to Rocket and Drax as their pod flew away.

Groot took small steps to Gamora, tugging on her bootstrap and she kneeled down to him. His face was sad and his shoulders drooped.

"I am Groot."

"Peter will be okay, Groot. You have my word," she smiled, stroking his cheek with her knuckle. Groot nodded but continued to frown as he walked away, his head hanging low.

Seeing Groot upset only made her feel even worse. Peter was just as important to the rest of the Guardians as he was to Gamora, but she didn't really know how to comfort them. All she could do was promise to make things right.

"Do you really think he will get better?" asked Mantis.

"… I hope."

"Did Rocket explain to you what happens if he doesn't get this antidote?"

"... Peter continues to be slowly tortured from the inside until there's nothing of himself left. The Abhorrence parasite lives on in him, using him as its host, turning him into a loathing monster… yes, he explained."

Gamora and Mantis walked to the kitchen, and Gamora started pulling out pots and pans.

"For now, all we can do is feed him hot fluids. The parasite is going to continue making his body heat decrease until it reaches the temperature ideal for itself, we need to make sure that does not happen."

Peter's body temperature was lower than Gamora's, but the parasite needed it even lower. She wanted nothing more than to somehow make the parasite take over her instead, she knew it would hurt but it would take a lot longer to conquer her than it would Peter. She only hoped his body was strong enough to last the couple of days it would take for the others to return.

Mantis nodded, taking a pot and filling it with water to heat. Gamora felt her eyes on her as she fumbled in the cupboards, her hands shaking.

"Gamora-"

"Could you put this pot on the heat, too?"

She didn't want to talk about the situation all of a sudden, feeling too sick to.

/

Gamora and Mantis stood outside of the room listening to Peter shouting, fear written all over both of their faces.

"Should I go in there?" Mantis gestured to the room.

"It is worth a try."


	2. Chapter 2

"It's no good," cried Mantis, shutting the door behind her and practically running to Gamora. "My powers just don't work against that parasite. Peter just continued to scream and shout abuse at me."

Gamora put her hand on Mantis' shoulder, comforting her quickly then moved to the door of the room Peter was in.

She clutched the hot cup cup of drink they had made Peter, and entered the room. She was somewhat reluctant to do so but she knew she had to. 

Her breath became unsteady when she saw him. He was lying on the bed, his wrists and ankles tied to it. He had lashed out at Mantis the first time she had entered the room and so Gamora had had to restrict him. That was normally something they did during their bedroom activities. Normally, she wouldn't tie his ankles, just his wrists, and they both loved it, found it envigerating, but it hadn't been fun this time. It had broken her heart to do it, to restrict him of movement when he wasn't even the one in control of it. She had no choice, though. She had to keep the parasite under control. 

He didn't look at her the same way he usually would when she took stes towards him. His eyes were dark and cold; there was little-to-no love left in them. Though he didn't react to Gamora the same way he did with Mantis. Suddenly he was silent and still. Gamora prayed that this was because there was still an element of her Peter in him. It was either that or the parasite was calculating what the best way to manipulate her would be and felt screaming and yelling would distract itself too much.

She cautiously moved to him, kneeling by the bed. He turned his head to her, his eyes meeting hers but she still couldn't see a trace of her Peter in them. The sparkle in his eyes was gone, the lines at the corners gone; it upset her a lot to see him look so stone cold. He'd never even looked this cold-hearted during a fight on one of their jobs, when he'd had to gun down men.

"You need to drink this," she said, her hand under his head lifting it up and pressing the cup to his lips.

He kept his mouth closed, continuing to just stare at her. He shook his head and she sighed.

"No," he then growled.

"… Even something as vile as you needs sustenance," she said, knowing now that she was talking to the parasite and not Peter.

"Get me something cold then."

Gamora forced his mouth open and poured the liquid in, closing his mouth until he swallowed. He tried to spit out the remainder of it but she clamped her hand over his mouth.

"I'm not going to let you win. You are not having this body."

"I've already got it," his voice came out muffled under her hand, but she still caught every word and flinched away.

They fell silent, Gamora looking away from him when he wouldn't.

"This body was a little reluctant at first but now I'm right in there. Right in its brain. The hatred it harbours is beautiful."

Hatred. In Peter. She found that ridiculous.

The entire time she had known Peter, he had done nothing but be kind, even to people who didn't deserve it, like her, she thought. He'd been more than willing to give up his life, not just for her but for the entire galaxy. Throwing himself in front of Ronan to catch the power stone had been the bravest thing he'd ever done, she knew. There was no way he was a hateful person, he was too caring, too protective, and she'd always worried that would have him killed one day.

"Peter does not hate."

"He does. He hates his father, he hates your father, he hates his home planet."

Gamora shook her head, slumping back on her heels.

"But you knew that," he smiled. "He doesn't hate his home planet. You know nothing." "Neither do you. You don't know how he feels about you deep down-"

"Stop it," warned Gamora.

This was something she definitely didn't need to hear. Peter had only ever said impossibly beautiful things to her about the way he felt about her, she didn't want to hear his voice say anything different. She'd experienced so much hate her entire life and Peter had been the first person to tell her nice things about her, she didn't need that to be drowned out by the rubbish the parasite had to say.

"He thinks you're stubborn, controlling -"

"Stop -"

"A psychopath. Broken. Damaged. A murderer -"

"I said stop it!" shouted Gamora, kicking the cup over as she shot back to her feet. "Stop it! Stop it!"

His smile grew and she felt sick. The parasite had found the best way to hurt her.

"It's never easy hearing the truth."

Gamora shook her head, "That is not how Peter feels. I know you; I know what you do, you are putting words in his mouth."

"I'm just feeding on what's already here."

"Peter loves me," she insisted. He did, of course he did, she told herself. 

"Oh," he laughed, "Oh, is that right?"

She suddenly felt incredibly doubtful but nodded, "Yes… yes, he… he does."

Peter continued to smile and she felt even more uneasy. It was sickening. 

"Who could ever love someone like you? This bodys brain is full of information about you. I know everything. You worked for your father, slaughtering people for years all because he asked you to."

"He did not just ask, he threatened! I needed to protect my sister," Gamora defended. "What I did... it was evil, but I am no longer that person... Peter loves me. He knows I regret my past."

"That's what he tells you, but you don't know what's really going on in his head. You can't see what I see. He feels sick every time he kisses you, every time he has to hold your hand or comfort you-"

"I have read all about you. I know that this is what you do…" she cut him off before he could spew anymlre abuse. "You play mind games. You do not just feed on him but you try to manipulate those around your host, too. You are trying to make me resent Peter so I will walk away and let you have his body but that is not happening."

Peter's smile slowly fell and he lurched forward, making Gamora jump. She'd never felt wary of Peter until that moment. 

"He hates you! He hates you! He's getting out of here and he's gonna kill you!"

Gamora walked backwards, feeling for the door.

"He hates you!" he spat.


	3. Chapter 3

Groot sat on Gamora's knee as they waited for Rocket and Drax's pod to arrive. Rocket had sent Gamora a message that he and Drax were on the way home with the antidote. It had been two days since they had left and Gamora had started to become hesitant about whether they would make it home before the parasite completely took over Peter's body.

Every minute that past by was another small section of Peter's body that the parasite took over. Gamora and Mantis had both refrained from going back in the room after that morning. They could no longer manage to force Peter to drink, or try to talk to him like he was still there, and Mantis was slowly starting to give up though Gamora still had hope. Admittedly, very little. 

She stood up, placing Groot on her shoulder, when the pod arrived. She greeted Rocket and Drax and followed them further into the ship.

"How is he?" asked Rocket.

"Not good," said Mantis, "The parasite is speaking through him. It is as though Peter is no longer there."

"But he is," said Gamora, quickly. She had to be positive, had to cling onto any little shred of hope she had left. "I know he is. Where is this antidote?"

Rocket handed her a small vial and she held it lightly in her fingertips, staring at it.

"What do we do with it?"

"He has to ingest it."

Gamora sighed, "That is easier said than done. We have been struggling to get Peter to drink."

"You're strong. Force his mouth open," said Rocket, simply.

"I have been. But he is getting stronger."

"I will come into the room and assist you," said Drax and Gamora forced a smile.

/

Gamora and Drax stood watching a sleeping Peter.

"This is the first time I have seen him asleep since before you left."

"The worm must be tired. We should do it now."

Gamora nodded and they took hesitant steps towards Peter. She unscrewed the vial and hovered it over Peter's mouth, giving Drax a nod. He forced open Peter's mouth. Peter's eyes shot open wide when Gamora tipped the contents of the vial into his mouth and he started to shake his head. Drax held Peter's mouth shut tightly and Gamora placed both hands over his lips.

"I'm sorry, Peter. This is going to make you better."

She leaned over him, keeping pressure on his mouth as she looked into his eyes. She saw the look in them changing from anger to panic and his body started to thrash. It pained her to see him this way, to see him looking at her with such terror. She'd never wanted to be the 'cause of anything negative for him, but she was. His eyes then rolled back in his head and his back arched. They removed their hands from him. He continued to jerk, foaming at the mouth as he had when the parasite had first entered his system.

The door opened and Rocket and Mantis entered, staring at Peter. Gamora felt sick, clutching her stomach and ran out of the room. She bent over, coughing and spluttering, Mantis following her and rubbing her back. She felt overwhelmed seeing Peter in the state he was in. She sank back against the wall, trying to stifle her sobs as Mantis continued to comfort her.

/

"He's asking for you."

Gamora turned at the sound of Rocket's voice. She was sat on the wing of their ship, her legs crossed, and a journal in her lap.

"He's back to his old self again."

She nodded, and turned back to look at the light sky. It calmed her, the sky, made her feel content for a short while. Sitting and watching the clouds pass by had become something she and Peter loved to do together whenever they had the time and were on a planet and not flying through space. She and Peter shared a love for the sky, she wanted nothing morr than for Peter to be right there with her in that moment. Rocket sat beside her, his legs hanging over the edge of the wing and he took a deep breath.

"How bad was it? When me and Drax were gone."

"It was… my worst nightmare." She'd actually had similar nightmares. Ones where Peter had been in pain and she couldn't stop it, ones where he'd told her he hated her and told her everything that was wrong wigh her. 

Rocket nodded, then gestured to her lap. "What you got there?"

She held onto the journal, bringing it closer to her, "Peter's journal. I found it and I… I know I should not have because it is meant to be private but I… I had to know his thoughts."

"I warned you about that parasite. Tells you horrible stuff. It's all lies though, just does it to try turn you against the person it wants."

"I know."

Rocket nodded, standing up after one last look at the sky.

"Peter wants to see you."

Gamora continued to not look at him, holding Peter's journal closer to her, but nodded. "I'll be in shortly."

/

She watched him from the gap in the door. He didn't know she was there but she needed a minute before she could enter and talk to him. He was now sitting up in his bed, no longer tied down, shirtless after he had vomited on himself again, with a hot drink in his hands. He looked more comfortable than he had in a while, like himself again now that what was eating away at his insides was out.

He had apologised to Mantis for his actions when the parasite had been in control of him, hugged Groot, thanked Drax and Rocket and now sat waiting for her to finally visit him. He was under strict instructions to not leave his bed, but Gamora saw him shift to get out of it.

Hearing her open the door, he smiled, placing his cup on the floor.

"Hey," he said, and her heart raced at the sound of his voice. It was lighter than it had been when he'd last spoken to her. It was more like him. 

Gamora acknowledged his greeting with a light smile as she took small steps towards him.

"That was pretty scary, huh?" he chuckled.

She nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed and placing her hand beside his, uncertain whether to touch him. She didn't look at his face, instead keeping her eyes on his hand.

"How are you?" she finally spoke.

"A little sore but I'm not dead, so that's a win," he smiled.

She nodded again, feeling a bit braver she moved her pinkie to touch his.

"'Mora, you know that what that thing made me say isn't true."

"You know what it said?"

She'd simply presumed that he would have no recollection of that.

"Yeah, I was still there. I heard everything. Including that you weren't prepared to give up on me," he said, placing his hand on top of hers. She was grateful he'd made that move. "Thank you."

"I… I read your journal," she said after a short silence.

Peter's brow furrowed and Gamora began to fidget. She'd more than likely crossed a line, she thought. 

"I know a journal is meant to be private but… I had to know what was going on in your head."

"I don't mind you reading it. There's nothing in there I've not already told you."

He stroked her hand with his thumb and she looked at him. He tilted his head, sympathetically, when he looked into her eyes. 

"You doubted my feelings for you, didn't you?"

She closed her eyes briefly, nodding.

"I think that's what that parasite does. Makes us all question everything. I mean, I do find you stubborn but that's nothing you didn't already know," he laughed.

"Do you hate me?" she blurted out, desperate to know. 

Peter immediately shook his head. "No. Never," he squeezed her hand. "I love you. You're the best thing to have happened to me. That parasite was trying to play us against each other. Trying to make us hate each other. I love all of you. You're my family."

She nodded. She understood, but she still had needed to hear him say that.

"I was trapped in my own body, screaming trying to get you to hear me. I was trying to tell you that everything it was saying was a lie… a trick… but it had too much control over me," he added.

He cupped her cheek and she leaned into his touch, placing her hand over his.

"Did it hurt?"

"I'll get over it," he replied, squeezing her hand. "I stink because of all the vomiting and not showering for days but I could do with a hug," he said, his voice now light and cheerful, a playful pout on his lips.

Gamora smiled, having missed this Peter, and moved to sit beside him, resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Mmm," he hummed, "How could I not love you."

She tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach as the memories of what the parasite had made him say came flooding back again.

He held her tightly, running his hand up and down her arm. She closed her eyes, trying to enjoy his embrace and ignore the doubt spiralling through her.

/

It had been three days since the parasite had been extracted from Peter and he'd made it clear to everyone he was feeling on top of the world. Gamora, on the other hand, was feeling terrible. She was finding it difficult to sleep and even more difficult to be around Peter.

She knew Peter had noticed this, but didn't knoe how to talk to him about it. The other Guardians had went out on a supply run so it was just her and Peter left on the ship now. 

She had spent the entire morning in their room reading a book and only moved when she heard noises coming from the common area.

"What is this?" she asked when she entered the room. Blankets were laid out on the floor, multiple bowls of food scattered around them and music flooding through the air.

"I figured we deserved a little time, just the two of us," said Peter, smiling widely, walking to her and holding her hands. "It's not exactly a picnic in the park with rose petals and red wine, and -" he stopped when she looked at him puzzled, "Oh, they're, like, romantic things on Earth."

He walked them to the blankets and they sat down.

"I mean, it's not exactly the definition of romantic, but I wanted to try and do something nice for you. You've been acting weird around me ever since the parasite thing."

"I have not-"

"You have. And I know why. It's because of what that thing said to you. It's made you second-guess us, hasn't it?"

Gamora looked down, playing with her fingers.

"I know you love me, I just… hearing your voice say that you hated me… that you thought I was a psychopath and... and broken... it hurt."

Peter held Gamora's hands, kissing them, then placed one of them on his chest.

"I could never ever hate you. And there's no way in hell I think you're psycho - or broken," he said, putting his hand on top of hers. "I think that you are the bravest, kindest, most beautiful woman I've ever met. You've been throigh hell and back, and yet here you are risking your life for the sake of others almost every Goddamn day."

"Peter, I-"

"I mean it, Gamora," the look in his eyes was intense, wanting her to believe every word he said. "You are everything good. You ain't broken or damaged, you're strong and courageous."

"I'm sorry... that you are having to do all of this. That I have doubted you. You were the one who went through-"

"Stop," he shook his head. "That parasite hurt us both. Not just me. Not just you. Both. You took care of me, now it's my turn to take care of you," he squeezed her hand. "I would do anything for you, you know that."

Gamora smiled, "I know. I would do anything for you."

"And you love me, too."

"And I love you, too."

"That's settled, then. Now," he kissed her hands before dropping them and clapping his own together, "Let's eat then make-out."

Gamora felt better after that. The back of her mind was telling her she needed more reassurance, but she pushed those thoughts even further bsck. It was starting to sink in, now. He loved her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That wasn't the best, I know - I think the idea could be good, I was just too sloppy writing it. I'll come back and change it up in the future.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
